Just another sign we're getting older

This occurred to me whilst a friend was celebrating his 40th birthday. He's the last of the "crowd" to pass that milestone. Some of us saw that mark a while ago. This friend and his wife had recently finished a major addition/renovation to their house, so once in a while one of them would disappear with a small group of people for the "nickel tour" of the addition, which includes two separate two-car garages!

It was late in the evening when I noticed that when we were younger, small groups would disappear from a party to partake of whatever illicit substance was available at the time. Later on, after we'd outgrown the illegal substances, some of us would disappear outside to have a smoke. Some of that still goes on. I'm so glad I quit. And now, here we are at "over 40" and small groups of people disappear to see the house. I haven't decided if it's pitiful or " a good thing".

New food hangs around a bit

Took another step around the Asian rim, figuratively. A group of folks here at work enjoy Vietnamese food at least once a week. Much like when I tried Sushi for the first time, I finally broke down and went along for lunch. Had two Vietnamese Spring Rolls, which are wrapped in rice paper and have shrimp and pork in them (different than my usual Chinese "rolls") and then a Seafood "Pho" - a pork-based broth with rice noodles, some seasonings and various seafood. I identified shrimp, crab, clams/mussels, and squid or octopus. There were also some side items like mint leaves and some kind of onion?

So, two things come from this experience:
1. It's now nearly 3 hours later and I can still taste the onions or the mint leaf, I'm not sure which, but it comes back every time I burp.
2. I asked how to properly pronounce what I ordered and the one guy with us who is actually Vietnamese says "Pee nine" - that's the number on the menu ....*sigh*

So, that's Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indian, and Vietnamese. I reckon Thai is next up.

The Dreams I *do* see....

Okay, so I'm walking through the city toward a small greenspace when a hackey sack comes flying over the fence in my direction. I return the toss, am amazed that I still have the capability to do so, and continue into the park. Before too long I am engaged in a typical round of hackey sack with a humanoid chameleon. Even in his "natural" state he looks very alien, but humanoid - not that these things register too deeply with me at the time. In the dream, I just accept it. The chameleon proceeds to explain to me the nature of the marketplace and how the needs and demands of the consumers can change from moment to moment, or day to day. Meanwhile, he is changing, and the surroundings are changing. From what I remember, it was a fairly thorough explanation, with advice on how to cope and even how to take advantage of the trends.

But then the damn alarm clock went off.

Naturally, while fixing breakfast and taking the shower, my mind was in different place this morning. I can understand the changing environment and the changing "chameleon" host that fit into the whole "changing" market place speach. Even hackey sack sort of fits. It can be a never ending game. While playing, it goes in fits and runs as you or your opponent/teammate either continue the passing, or miss or drop the sack and have to re-start. You can stop at any point and resume play at a later time or date. Marketplace - open for business/trade, close at the end of the day, you have busy times and slow.

What I don't get is .............................. why?

Or better yet.........what the f*&^?

Okay, so I've been considering going into business for myself. Or with a friend or two. And that business would depend on a market, like any other. Hopefully it will be something that can be run out of the garage, or maybe bloom into something that needs a store front. But that dream seemed a pretty deep and philosophical treatment of what seems to be a simple situation.

Or maybe it was just a weird dream.

In any case, I'm pretty sure that now I've written it down, it'll go away and leave me alone so I can get some work done.